Report to Mondelēz International Foundation

Year 1: May 2012 – May 2013

2

ContentsIntroduction ...............................3

Program delivery ..................4-6

Delivery team .............................7

Challenges ..................................8

Success Stories ....................9-10

Media/Cause Marketing ......... 11

Publicity ......................................12

Case studies ........................13-14

Publicity ......................................15

The Phone App ....................... 16

Facebook ...................................17

Community Portal ...................18

Twitter .........................................18

COMPLETED BYDebra NixonWest Midlands Operations Manager01624 56014607740899565D.Nixon@tcv.org.uk

Grant received: May 2012

Period covered by grant: May 12-May 13

Locations where program was o�ered: South Birmingham: Longbridge, Weoley, Kings Norton, Northfield, Bournville

Published by The Conservation Volunteers, Sedum House, Mallard Way, Doncaster DN4 8DB. Registered Charity (England) 261009, (Scotland) SCO39302

3

Introduction

The Health for Life in the community program is designed to develop, with local community members, amenities and activities that will facilitate health and environmental improvements to local community members of the five wards of South Birmingham: Bournville, Kings Norton, Weoley Castle, Northfield and Longbridge.

This program is one of three programs in the five year Health for Life program funded by Mondelēz International Foundation.

OBJECTIVES

The program’s objectives are as follows:

1. PHYSICAL ACTIVITYTo increase the level of physical activity by members of the local adult population of South Birmingham

2. GROWING FOODTo make a measurable increase in the level of food growing activity by members of the adult population of South Birmingham to promote a healthy lifestyle

3. HEALTHY EATINGTo improve eating habits and understanding of healthy eating among members of the local adult population of South Birmingham

PROGRAM DELIVERY PROGRESS AND RESULTS

The program is being delivered, to meet these objectives, primarily through The Conservation Volunteers’ Green Gym® scheme, providing ‘work-outs’ in the outdoor environment, food growing and conservation activities. This is enhanced by additional network activities which are designed not only to promote Green Gyms ® but also encourage more people to join in, for example by growing food at home.

1. GREEN GYM® SESSIONS

Provide Green Gym ® sessions for Mondelēz employees, schools, community members.

TCV have provided 133 Green Gym® sessions at a variety of venues in South Birmingham from creating food growing areas in residential centres, working in primary schools to conservation activities at local nature reserves.

Working with the community, research and mapping exercises have been carried out to identify where organizations and adult community congregate and ensure there is no overlapping of provision. The Health for Life in the community project team have followed up, where gaps exist, by arranging visits, presentations and organizing physical activities within the local community; which is easily accessible to those individuals who have become isolated where they live. Working in partnership with Birmingham City Council and di�erent community groups the program has enabled participants to get involved.

At Lickey Hills Countryside Park (owned by Birmingham City Council) TCV sta� have established an ongoing relationship enabling both community and Mondelēz International employee volunteers to work alongside the Countryside Park Rangers on a land management plan. During the first year and non-growing season this site is pivotal in involving volunteers in varied physical activity tasks such as: Creating Forestry School, habitat management, laying new paths, hand felling, trench work to aid drainage and clearance work.

4

Other activities which have taken place throughout the project include: planting seeds, planting out seedlings, building raised beds and preparing the ground for planting. These activities have been at community sites, schools and with Mondelēz International Employees. Activities with Mondelēz International Employees can be found in more detail on Page 13, and breakdown in Appendix 2.

Green Gyms® have been carried out in the community and in residential housing where there is scope to develop the land for food growing in the forthcoming year. As a result of the delays in establishing allotment sites and also because of the long cold winter, the Project O§cers focused on extensive outreach work. It was identified that many residential and community based organizations who work with vulnerable groups had little or no focused provision for improving people’s health through physical activities, food growing and healthy eating.

By outreaching within the local community and working in partnerships with various organizations the project o§cers have been able to organize Green Gym® training sessions in seed and vegetable planting at various residential sites and community centres. This has helped Project O§cers get to build local relationships and created a better understanding and knowledge of Health for Life in the community program.

Some of the centres / groups we have worked with included:

• DeafPlusBirmingham• BrainInjuryRehabilitationTrust• ChristopherTaylorCourt• CotteridgeHouse• HawkestoneRoadX3Allotments• Longbridge-BirminghamMind• ManorFarm• MasefieldsCommunityCentre• HousingCare(Middlemore)• Rosefields• RowheathHouse• ShenleyHallElderlyCommunityGroup• WeatheroakDayCentre• WeoleyCastleAgeUK

To encourage and demonstrate how the produce, that residents grew, could be used, a healthy food event was held on the site where residents planted seeds. A Smoothie Bike was also hired, where residents could pedal and blend fruit and vegetables to make a healthy smoothie. This proved to be a great way to encourage the local people onto the site, providing an opportunity for Project O§cers to further build on their community relationship.

TCV have used open day events to gather feedback on activities and identify barriers to participants getting physically active which have included; work, family, caring responsibilities and time constraints. This has given project sta� the opportunity to promote the benefits of joining the Green Gym and emphasise that the whole family would be welcome. As a result of this event we have had new interest from families who are keen to get active on the allotment and The Project O§cers have now arranged after-school sessions to allow these groups to be involved.

TCV have actively engaged with Deaf Plus and a volunteer and his interpreter came out to visit the Green Gym® at Hawkestone Road and the Weoley site (Green Meadow). They are keen to encourage the other members of the Deaf Plus group to become more involved and are hoping to join us more regularly in the near future, however in order for this to go ahead Deaf Plus would require a sign interpreter to be provided by The Conservation Volunteers.

Program delivery

5

2. DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY ALLOTMENTS

The delivery of the program will be supporting the acquisition of five sites (one in each ward) that can be used for food growing, healthy-minded cooking and food awareness activities. Each site will contain a log cabin for use by the local community whilst also providing tool storage and amenities for the group. These sites will be developed with local community groups to provide central ‘hubs’ for the delivery and promotion of the program and to leave a lasting legacy in the area.

A number of sites were investigated within the boundaries of the five wards, however, issues with access, ownership and suitability meant that we were unable to pursue some of these options further. TCV have now secured a site (Green Meadow) at Weoley, through Bournville Village Trust (BVT), although it is later than planned within the program. Work is scheduled so that the site will be ready late October 2013 and activities planned so that users of the site and local residents will be able to plant out their winter vegetables.

Work initially started in Hawkestone Road allotments, a neighbouring site in Weoley, also owned by BVT, comprising small plots behind a group of three flats in a deprived area. The site was too small to develop as a full program allotment site but, working with local residents, TCV has used the area as a demonstration site, running regular Green Gyms® and undertaking training days to demonstrate growing techniques. This has encouraged more people to become involved and there are now two plots in use with both produce and knowledge-sharing between the two groups. The local community center, near the flats, is being used monthly to deliver some of the training.

Supporting TCV in setting up other sites, the Mondelēz International Community A�airs Assistant Manager has made contact with a key figure in the Birmingham City Council to secure suitable land for allotments. Northfield (Manor Park Farm) will be developed in year two. Further sites have been identified in Kings Norton, Bournville and Longbridge, three sites belonging to BCC and one to BVT, which will be developed in year two and three.

3. DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY GROUPS

Groups will be developed and provided with training so that they are equipped with the necessary skills to continue post funding. They will be supported by the TCV Community Network, which provides access to the Chestnut Fund an independent charity administered by TCV. Groups will also have guidance and support to set up a group website; receive a quarterly newsletter and dedicated web page to keep groups up-to-date with news and opportunities for further support.

There are currently 25 groups who have joined the Community Network in Birmingham. The Health for Life in the community Project O§cers are able to contact these groups, informing them about the opportunities available to them in joining the Health for Life program.

Groups include Manor Farm Park Friends Group - site of the planned second allotment - who have received support and guidance from The Green Gym® Project O§cers which has led to them joining the Community Network. The Hawkestone Road Residents are also in the process of being a§liated tto TCV as a community group. Continual work with this group is creating further interest from other residents who are now keen to get involved.

Program delivery

6

4. DEVELOPMENT OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWING PHONE APP

One of the key features of the Program will be the development and distribution of a new hybrid app which provides hints, tips, calendars and food growing advice.

The phone app has been released for the iphone and will be released in year 2 for the other mobile platforms. The app. currently provides growing instructions for over 40 fruit and vegetables and provides links to healthy recipes with more being added monthly.

5. SOCIAL NETWORKING

The use of social networking, particularly Facebook and Twitter, and community portal will be used to promote and publicize the program as well as to actively engage volunteers and also involve others, who might not be able to physically attend sessions directly.

Both the Twitter and Facebook account have been set up and are now functional.These have been used to promote the program, reporting on current and planned activities to encourage people to join in in the future.

A community portal, through the TCV website, has also been developed, where the di�erent Green Gym® groups can interact and be part of an online forum specifically for this program.

6. FOOD GROWING

People growing food at home and at allotment sites.

Numbers of food growing at home were low earlier in the year due to the poor weather conditions including the coldest Spring in over 50 years. The free seed drop, designed to promote food growing at home, was also delayed until late Spring to coincide with securing the first allotment site.

7. FREE SEED DROPS

Distribution of free ‘Health for Life’ branded food seeds to households in the local ward where an allotment is being established.

The seed drop was delayed to coincide with the securing of the first allotment site. 11,000 seeds have been distributed to residents in Weoley. Each seed packet advertised a Free Food Growing Guide that recipients could request online.

8. FREE FOOD GROWING GUIDE

A food growing booklet has been developed which, will be available to help and encourage people to grow food at home. This booklet will be distributed to people signing up online via the on-pack seed distribution campaign.

The booklet is available both online (as identified in the seed distribution leaflet) and in booklet format. Project O§cers have been distributing the booklets to residents who have approached them whilst working on site.

9. LOCAL HORTICULTURAL SHOW

An annual show is planned to enable local community members to showcase the results of their growing activities.

The first event will take place in September 2013.

Program delivery

7

TCV West Midlands Operational Manager

DEBRANIXoN

KEY TO ROLES

Existing sta�

New sta�

External Organization

*Volunteer O§cerThe Volunteer O§cer post is typically 3-6 months depending upon the individual. We work with them to develop their skills and training. Imran has since left to take up his first employment in a number of years.

Delivery team

Health for Life in the community Manager

EILEEN HENDONManagement, Impact Assessment,

Evaluation, Budget, Training, Partnership work, Admin, Promotion

Health for Life in the community Project O�cer

SALLYFURPHY

Health for Life in the community Project O�cer

MARK LAWRENCE

Health for Life in the community Project O�cerSTEFAN LEWANDOWSKI

1 day a week

Health for Life in the community

Volunteer O�cer*IMRAN MOHAMMED

15/03/13

Health for Life in the community

Volunteer O�cer*POSITION AVAILABLE

Rob Bowker Visual Communications

Graphics and publication design, photography,

copywriting

Forster Communications

Media and PR engagement and support, Social Media

SpindogsPhone App development,

Community portal develpment

8

Challenges

ALLOTMENTS

As previously mentioned the securement of the allotment site has had a significant impact on the program, and the ability to reach some of the outcomes.

Sites for years 2 and 3 have now been identified and arrangements are progressing to secure these as soon as feasible to catch up on program delivery and ensure that no future delays are experienced.

WEATHER

The weather and the cold conditions have impacted on the ability to grow early on in the year. Snow made people reluctant to come out to sessions. This, combined with the lack of established allotment sites promoted outreach work which has had a positive e�ect on program delivery. In future years there will be a focus on winter-grown vegetables to minimise the seasonal limitations. There will also be a greater focus on employee volunteering in the spring and summer months to ensure that the maximum number of people are involved when the weather conditions are suitable.

DATA COLLECTION

TCV’s standard evaluation form (SF12) was adapted for the Health for Life program to fulfil TCV’s requirements and capture additional data but has proved to be unsuitable for the task. As some volunteers have serious illnesses and learning disabilities, there was resistance to filling in SF12s and sta� felt in these situations that asking these volunteers to fill in these forms was unfair and intrusive. The frequency of form-filling, coupled with the nature and number of questions was also believed to be a deterrent. In response to this other methods of capturing data are being considered for year 2 onwards.

EMPLOYEE ACTION DAYS

Cancellation or low numbers of employee action days have been a challenge. With support from Kelly Farrell we have overcome this by organisaing specific team challenges and numbers on activities have greatly improved.

9

Success Stories

Housing Care (Middlemore) supported sheltered housing scheme with 35 residents

March 2013

In March the team took some volunteers over to Housing Care Supported Sheltered housing and helped the group there to assemble and erect their Greenhouse. The team went back a second time to do the heavy work of removing some tree stumps in order that the area could be cultivated into a growing space. After helping this group underway the team revisited on 1st June to see how their work was coming on. The pictures show the great success they have made of their site.

10

Mondelēz International Employee Action Days

Success Stories“In case you didn’t get my email, I want to say how I had a great day yesterday!”

“Talking to the team during and after the event I can honestly say that they thoroughly enjoyed it and that they made a di�erence, albeit small, so much that they would like to do it again. John, our enthusiastic logger has stated that he is going to volunteer on a permanent basis, so you have one convert.”

“Many thanks for the photos and video clips. I hope to see you in the not too distant future as we have another team who are willing to participate.”

“I just wanted to thank you both for arranging and hosting the Volunteering days for our teams last week. Aside from everyone having a sore body, the feedback I’ve received has been brilliant – everyone had a great day and really enjoyed helping out!”

11

Media/Cause MarketingPress Release

PRESS RELEASE

DATE: 29 May 2013

LOOK OUT FOR YOUR FREE VEGETABLE SEEDS!

Health for Life in conjunction with The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) will be encouraging all residents in Weoley to grow vegetables when they receive a free packet of vegetable seeds.

The Conservation Volunteers are asking residents to look out for seeds posted to their homes this week from a range which includes lettuce, tomatoes, squash, carrots, parsley, chilli peppers and radish. Everyone is encouraged to have a go at growing their own food as part of the Health for Life programme, funded by Mondelēz International Foundation and delivered by TCV and the Health Education Service to the community and schools in South Birmingham.

To support those who do not have a garden or green fingers, TCV o�er a free food growing booklet and have also developed a Phone App – “get growing” available initially on i-Phone, and through other phones later in the year This will show that vegetables can be grown anywhere, from a balcony in pots and tubs, a kitchen windowsill to a greenhouse or back garden in grow-bags; in flower borders - anyone can do it!

TCV will be developing a community allotment in Weoley to support the annual seed drop and will act as a resource for local residents to gain practical experience and skills in growing vegetables; understand the benefits of growing your own food and how to use this in an everyday diet. Through the Health for Life programme, TCV will set up community allotments and send out free seed in other areas of South Birmingham over the next few years.

From 12-16 June, TCV’s will be showcasing a garden at BBC Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC. This will illustrate how a small back garden can be used for growing fruit and vegetables and keep you active whilst also providing a space to relax and enjoy. Local visitors to the Health for Life garden at the event can enter a free draw for a vegetable starter kit worth £50.

12

PublicityHealth for Life in the Community Leaflet

126 organisations have had visits, letters and promotional leaflet sent out to them.

13

Penny

Penny came to us at the start of the Hawkestone Road Allotments. She has thrived within this group and has been an integral part of the team. She was advised by her Doctor to improve her eating habits and to increase her exercise which she has achieved in the Green Gym® program. Penny has learning di§culties but her achievements on both the allotment and in workshops has increased her confidence to try new things. She attended our first aid course, composting and seed planting workshops and training with great results. She has also helped Mondelēz International employees at the Lickey Hills and integrated with the local community working in parks and has made new friends through doing so.

“I love the garden work and workshops. I look forward to them every week”

Case studies

Adrian

Adrian contacted us after picking up a flyer on a visit to the Lickey Hills. He lives in Northfield and, after being made redundant, was looking for an activity to do to get him out of the house when not looking for work.

Since joining, Adrian has participated in activities at the Lickey Hills, helped construct a Green House in sheltered accommodation and help create raised beds at Hawkestone Green Gym®. This work has inspired him to seek out funding for acquiring chainsaw certificates to train as a Tree Surgeon and develop a new career.

“I was getting bored and frustrated in the house and this has been just what I needed.”

Linda

The Conservation Volunteers first met Linda whilst promoting the project at a group meeting of local sheltered housing accommodation forum. She and her son owned an allotment and wanted both advice and other activities to do in the community. They were keen to learn more about building raised beds and helping out in the community.

Linda and her son have attended Green Gym® Sessions including helping remove Buddleia stumps from an area of ground in a sheltered housing complex to allow growing of vegetables. She is keen to be involved further when available and is looking forward to helping construct the show garden for the BBC Gardeners World Live event.

14

Weoley Castle, Age UK

In March, earlier this year, The Project O§cers started to hold two Green Gyms a month at Weoley CastleAgeUK.WeoleyCastleAgeUKisadayserviceproviderfor older people in the South of Birmingham.

During the time spent here, sta� have been able to teach day residents how to grow their own salad crops easily on their window ledges at home and also introduced many new healthy food options encouraging a more varied diet. This has included things such as Lambs’ Lettuce, Rocket, Mustard Cress and Garlic Chives. They have also taught the group about the importance of having plants to attract pollinators, such as Nasturtiums (from which you can also add the flower to a healthy salad) in a vegetable garden.

The group start each session with a gentle warm up routine that they do seated in their chairs. Teaching the group how to limber the joints and exercise their bodies in a way that is accessible to them allows them to take these exercises home with them and the sta� often hear members of the group reporting on which exercises they have practiced at home.

The team have built up a great relationship with the volunteers at this hub. The volunteers are always enthused to get on with the session and report back how their plants are growing at home, taking the opportunity to ask advice on what to do next. Each session they are eager to know when we shall be returning and what we shall be bringing to teach them about next.

The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust

At The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT) the Green Gym® O§cers have held four Green Gym® sessions over the last two months teaching residents/patients and sta� how to grow in pots/grow bags to make the best use of their outdoor space. The volunteers here have been keen to get involved and enjoy the time spent outdoors getting fresh air whilst learning new skills. Sta� have had the pleasure to see individuals becoming more confident and independent in their growing skills. Next month there is an opportunity for the volunteers from BIRT to join us at Gardener’s World working on The Conservation Volunteers Show Garden area.

Case studies

15

PublicityFood Growing Booklet, Seed Packet and leaflet

10,000 leaflets and seed packs have been distributed in Weoley constituency

16

The Phone App The Phone App has been released on phase 1

17

Facebook Likes: 62 up 5.08% Friends of fans: 12,307 up 4.46% People talking about this: 34 up 183.33% Weekly total reach: 274 up 136.21%

18

Community Portal

Twitter